A conventional approach for implementing a communication protocol is shown in the circuit 10 of FIG. 1. The circuit 10 illustrates a protocol using a channel for the transmission of electrical signals. The circuit 10 comprises a number of stations 12a–12n. A station is defined as an entity capable of transmitting/receiving information, detecting an external event and acting upon the event (i.e., performing a communication protocol) The circuit 10 also has a first communication channel 14 and a second communication channel 16. Each one of the stations 12a–12n has an input 18a–18n that receives a local event signal LOCALa–LOCALn. The stations 12a–12n are configured to detect a local event on each respective local event line LOCALa–LOCALn. The stations 12a–12n present a signal on the first and second communication channels 14 and 16 in response to the local events LOCALa–LOCALn. Additionally, one of the communication channels 14 or 16 contains information about a first local event detected. The other one of the communication channels 14 or 16 contains information about a last local event detected.
The communication channel 14 performs a wired-NOR function, thereby carrying information about the detection of the first event. The second communication channel 16 performs a wired-AND function, thus carrying information about the detection of the last event.
The disadvantage of such a conventional method is the use of the multiple shared communication channels 14 and 16. The circuit 10 typically requires additional hardware resources to implement the two communications channels 14 and 16. The additional hardware resources are required in order for the communication protocol 10 to function properly.